Paul Kraus

Who is Paul Kraus? Born in 1944, Paul Kraus is an Australian author who was birthed in a Nazi labor camp in Austria. Kraus and his parents eventually migrated to Australia where Kraus took a factory job producing and delivering asbestos sheets. In 1997, Paul Krauss was diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of malignant mesothelioma cancer, specifically peritoneal mesothelioma. The cancer is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos filaments and possesses a median survival rate of 9-12 months. Despite his brutal mesothelioma diagnosis, Kraus continues to thrive as a writer. Because his mesothelioma was detected at an early age, Kraus enjoys a stable quality of life. To document his bouts with the cancer, Kraus wrote “Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient’s Guide.” Paul Kraus credits his rejection of conventional mesothelioma treatment methods as his main reason for surviving the disease for an extended period of time. Kraus has received no radiation, nor surgery or mesothelioma chemotherapy. The famous author rejected these traditional mesothelioma options because his doctors explained that they were merely palliative therapies that could severely impact his quality of life. Kraus rejected the notion of palliative treatment; instead, the author adopted lifestyle changes and used several integrative therapies including: intravenous vitamin C, vegetarian diet, Cat’s Claw (as well as other various herbs) and Traditional Chinese Medicines. Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is a rare medical condition that destroys the lining of the abdomen. This form of cancer affects the lining that shields the organs and contents of the abdomen, including the lubricating fluids that enable the organs to work and move properly. The peritoneum is comprised of two parts, the parietal and visceral peritoneum. The visceral protects the internal organs and is comprised of the outer layer of the intestinal tract, whereas the abdominal cavity is the parietal peritoneum. Symptoms of this particular type of mesothelioma cancer include: bowel obstruction, anemia, fever, blood clotting, severe/unexpected weight loss, abdominal pain, painful breathing and difficulty swallowing. Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer comes in two distinct types: “dry” and “wet.” Dry peritoneal mesothelioma cancer presents itself with one dominant localized mass or multiple smaller masses with typically little or no ascites. The wet version of the peritoneal mesothelioma possesses widespread small nodules, a presence of ascites and no dominant mass. Typically mesothelioma diagnosis for peritoneal mesothelioma may be achieved through a tissue biopsy.